The Oracle and the Armageddon
by The Ugliest Angel
Summary: (Post Series) After Fanelia was restored, Gaea was tranquil and free of any troubles, until She returned to fulfill her diabolic fate. PLEASE R&R! Plot twists everywhere. APOLOGY POSTED.
1. Upon Arrival

Prologue: Before the Manslaughter

Loretta Reynaldo strained to hear the distant sound of a baby's cries as she jogged deeper into the woods. 'Who in their right mind leaves their child alone in the backwoods?' She thought, outraged by that fact.

Finally, she reached a clearing by a miniscule stream. Lying upon the banks of the creek was a toddler, crying to the high heavens. Loretta cautiously approached the infant, noting that it wore no clothing.

The child had doughy skin and short, dark sable locks. Getting closer, Loretta also saw that it was a girl. Crouching by the young one, she cooed, "Hey, hey, it's alright now. Are you lost?"

The child stopped crying and stared at Loretta with bewilderment, but said nothing.

"Can you talk?" Loretta inquired softly. The girl wiped away her tears and sniffled.

"Who are you?" She asked, looking Loretta up and down distressingly. Her voice was startlingly mature.

"My name is Loretta Reynaldo. Do you have a name?" She questioned.

"Apocalypse." The girl said her name clearly, almost too mush so for a child her age.

"Apocalypse?" Loretta rolled the name off of her tongue slowly. "That's an odd name for a little girl. Where are your parents?"

"Parents?" Apocalypse asked curiously.

"Yes, like a mommy and a daddy." Loretta used her hands to emphasize her words.

"Oh, the Bestowers of spiritual existence transcending physical death." She said with a knowing smile. Loretta just stared, mouth agape, completely befuddled.

"Where are you from?" She asked slowly.

"The Laboratory." Apocalypse answered as if it was no big deal. Loretta's brow knitted in confusion.

"I think we should get you somewhere safe." She tried not to think about how this child could have possibly gotten here.

"Are you Aceldama?" The strange little girl asked as Loretta lifted her into her arms.

"No, who's that?"

"I don't know." Apocalypse shrugged. Loretta's frown only grew as she blinked several times, trying to swallow all that this girl had just told her. She couldn't have been more then three or four years old, yet it was unbelievable how intelligent how she was.

When Loretta returned to her home, she immediately wrapped Apocalypse in a warm blanket and waited for her husband, Jake Reynaldo, to return home from work. When he did, she cornered him into the kitchen and explained how she had been jogging in the park and had come across Apocalypse and what she had told her.

Jake just sat there, scratching his head, looking puzzled. Then he went over to Apocalypse, who was reading a book on their couch. "Hey there," He said, looking at her closely.

"Hello," She said with an eerie smirk set upon her ethereal features. "Are you Aceldama?" She asked. It was all Jake needed to hear.

Later the couple toke Apocalypse to an adoption center, but Loretta later insisted on keeping her. Something had drawn her to Apocalypse and she wasn't about to let her go.

Two and a half years after they had found her, Loretta and Jake legally adopted her. The police had attempted to find her parents but after ten months of no reply, they closed their search and put her up for adoption.

Jake and Loretta had a long dispute about Apocalypse's name, but in the end Loretta firmly told him that they would keep it at that. It was original and it suited her otherworldly disposition.

Over the years, Jake never ended up bonding to Apocalypse. He had always sensed something about her that was extremely unsettling.

Loretta, on the other hand, encouraged Apocalypse in every aspect of her life. She gave her the nickname Caly and showered her with gifts and all the love she could offer.

Apocalypse's peers never grew too close to her either. She was classified as a 'nerd' early on and became a loner quickly. Because of her sagacity and intellect, none of the children were interested in her.

Apocalypse also had a frightening temper. If anyone so much as looked at her the wrong way, she would pounce on him or her like a lioness upon her prey.

After enduring five years of solitude mostly due to her temper, Loretta sent her daughter to a therapist. A few months afterwards, Apocalypse finally made her first friend, Faye Penburg. They formed a powerful bond and Apocalypse's behavior improved drastically, but only for a short while.

When she was eleven years old, Apocalypse began stealing from family friends and even from Loretta and Jake. Strangely enough, she only stole things that showed her reflection, compact mirrors, shiny pendants, even reading glasses. One day, she came to Loretta in tears.

** Flashback**

"What's that matter?" Loretta asked in a soothing voice, stroking Apocalypse's cappachino hair.

"Why is the world burning!" She cried desperately.

Loretta's eyes widened. "What?"

Apocalypse pointed to the window. "Everything's burning, people are running but when they look at me they all fall down. Mom, what's happening?" Her voice shook menacingly with pandemonium.

Loretta carefully looked out her window. The sun was shining brightly and the neighbors were chatting casually and mowing their lawns and walking their dogs. It was a tranquil scene. She closed the curtains, and went back to Apocalypse.

"Caly, you're just seeing things. Why don't you invite Faye and play?" Loretta rubbed Apocalypse's back reassuringly.

Apocalypse was shaken, but she just went to the phone and dialed Faye's number.

Loretta, however, was left severely disturbed.

** End Flashback**

Shortly before her fourteenth birthday, Loretta discovered bizarre navy blue markings starting from Apocalypse's lower back, running in a ring around her waist and then going up her spine in a narrow column. Loretta asked if Apocalypse had gotten a tattoo but she said she hadn't, which caused Loretta to worry. Apocalypse was a hellion, but she was an honest hellion. She had never lied to her before.

Loretta ended up taking Apocalypse to a doctor who sent them to a dermatologist. Apocalypse was given a clean bill of health but Loretta was still worried. The markings were becoming darker, but no one found anything wrong with her, and that subject was dropped.

By the time she was a sophomore in high school, Apocalypse watched painfully while all the girls, even Faye, dated and kissed boys and wore real bras while she was a still a small, scrawny, single girl barely able to fit into an A cup. But she had an amazing voice. When she wasn't studying, she was singing in her room alone. She never sung in front of others, but if she was lucky, Loretta would catch a quiet note of two. Apocalypse also had a talent for painting. She would spend hours on end just sitting in her room, painting on an empty canvas.

Eventually, Apocalypse chopped her waist length hair just above her shoulders and cut herself bangs that covered her eyes. The short hair cut suited her, however. It elongated her already long neck and oval shaped face.

She was always very serious and if one had not gotten to know her, one would think she was depressed or suicidal. Apocalypse had melancholy silver optics and a tragic expression constantly upon her features. Loretta always thought her daughter could be gorgeous, if she smiled once in a while.

As she aged, Apocalypse and her mother drifted apart and she began to cling to Faye. In Apocalypse's eyes, Faye was perfect. She had fire engine red locks that were naturally wavy. She had a full figure, but she was considered beautiful regardless of that fact. Faye had striking apple green eyes and a warm, inviting voice. People were naturally drawn to her spunky personality and bright perspective. Often, Faye's other friends would question her as to why she was friends with Apocalypse; they were so different.

When she turned fifteen, Apocalypse began having dreams about a mysterious land. She would be walking through a peaceful village when suddenly it would erupt into a wild fire. Nothing she did could stop it, and by the end of the dream, she was enjoying watching it burn. Other people she didn't recognize were laughing with her. Mostly males. Apocalypse said nothing to her mother, but Loretta sensed something was wrong.

Two months ago, the attacks started.

.:Chapter 1:.

Crystal clear droplets fell from Apocalypse's eyes as she ran down the pitch-black sidewalk of her block. Thunder rolled ominously in the heavens and she choked back a painful sob. 'Why does this keep happening?' That thought spun around her head again and again and her conscience screamed at her.

Rain had begun to fall slowly and steadily by the time she had entered her shadowy house. Making sure no one was awake; she kicked off her sneakers, pulled off her sweater and ran into her room.

Making sure to close the door quietly so as to not wake anyone, she flipped on the light and checked the time. 2:38 AM. Faith clenched her teeth but picked up her phone regardless of the time and began to press the digits a little too harshly.

"Come on, Faye, pick up damn you." Apocalypse breathed into the receiver. The phone rang seven times before a tired voice answered.

"Yeah?" The voice was jaded, obviously from lack of sleep.

"Faye, it's me. It happened again." Apocalypse's tone was shaking wildly and she did nothing to stop it. Her body shook with it, suppressing the excruciating tears.

Faye immediately jumped to attention. "A-are you sure about that? You're not imagining things?"

"No, no!" Apocalypse nearly screamed, then tried to calm herself. "I was walking home from the bus stop. I was coming home from my therapist and I noticed it was getting dark quickly so…" Her voice went up an octave. "So I took a short cut through the park and… a man was sitting on the park bench." She paused, taking a deep breath and continuing. "He started saying, 'Hey baby, how much for one night?' And other things like that and I just lost it. Whatever is inside me took over and before I knew it he was pinned against a tree and… do you wanna hear this?" Apocalypse bit her lip.

"Well, um, just tell me the basic stuff, nothing too gruesome." Faye whispered, but Apocalypse didn't know why.

"I ripped off his skin first and then tore through his stomach and then the rest of his intestines. But this time was different," Apocalypse let out the tears quietly. "I watched while he suffered. He was still alive, Faye. He was still alive! I just laughed in a voice that wasn't my own and then all of a sudden this hole in the ground appeared. It was gigantic, as big as my house if not bigger. It seemed… bottomless. The man was begging but I forget what he said. Then something pulled him into the hole and that's when I went back to normal." She took a minute to release the rest of the built-up confusion by crying softly.

Faye was quiet for a long time before saying"Oh my god, Caly. I'm speechless."

"I can't even control it," Apocalypse whimpered, then put herself back together. "Can you sneak out? I need to talk to you outside. Please?"

"I don't know if I can but I'll try. Where do you wanna meet?"

"Down by that old abandoned dock. I'll be waiting, ok?"

"Okay." Faye paused. "It'll be alright, Caly. Try to stay calm."

Apocalypse could tell that behind Faye's unfaltering voice, she was in as much dismay as Apocalypse was.

-The Dock-

Faye stood alone in the dark, waiting, as usual. This wasn't the first time Apocalypse had asked to meet at the dock, but it never happened in the middle of the night… or day, however you want to think about it.

"Faye?" Apocalypse called, waving her arm at her friend. She was clad in a thin white cotton sweater and underneath it magenta tank top, along with some comfortably fit blue jeans. Apocalypse jogged up to Faye with a pale, drained expression.

"Are you okay?" Faye asked, her voice showing limitless concern.

"No, no I'm not okay. This is the seventh time this has happened," She cried, holding the tears back as best she could. "What if next time, it's you who I kill?"

"Ok, don't talk crazy, Caly," Faye placed her hands on her best friend's shoulders. "We'll figure this out. What if we go to the authorities? In the long run, it's the best thing we can do. They can help."

"How?" Apocalypse cried then ran her fingers through her layered locks. "We can't go to the police. Do you think they'll believe us if we say that I'm the one who's killing these people because I turn into a possessed satanic monster who rips out their innards and then sends them to Hell? No, we can't go to the police. We just can't." Apocalypse paused to think. "We can't run away because then I'll keep killing people. You can't hide me because I might kill you. I doubt anything we do could hold me back." Suddenly her face darkened with an idea.

She turned to Faye, who was nearly shaking with woe. "Kill me." Apocalypse said firmly, looking Faye square in the eyes.

"WHAT? Are you CRAZY? Caly you have lost your damn mind if you think I'm gonna kill you! You're my best friend in the world and I wanna help you but not in that way." Faye folded her arms.

"If I keep breathing then I'll just keep killing. Trust me, you'll be the doing the world a favor." Apocalypse mumbled somberly.

"There's gotta be another way," Faye pleaded desperately. "Don't, please don't say things like that, Caly."

Apocalypse shot her a dark look. "Then what do you think we should do?" She asked, folding her arms and mocking Faye.

"I don't know, I don't know?" Faye groaned. "If only we knew why you were killing all these people then maybe we could help stop it, whatever it is."

Apocalypse hissed suddenly, gripping her sides with her arms. "Ow," She whined quietly.

"What's wrong?" Faye asked, narrowing her eyes and stepping away cautiously.

"Those, ow, weird markings, owwww, they're stinging," Apocalypse struggled with her words, nearly surrendering to the agony.

"Why?" Faye cocked a brow.

"If I knew why, I would tell you, dumbass," Apocalypse growled through clenched teeth. Faye cringed as she watched Apocalypse's face twist with torment.

"Well, is there anything I can do?" She asked, reaching out. Apocalypse just slapped her hand away.

"No, I'm- OW!" Her body collapsed on itself and she sighed, struggling to hold in her desperate tears. It was one thing to cry on her own, but to cry in front of someone else was too much.

Faye crouched on her haunches, placing a hand on Apocalypse's shoulder. "I feel so bad seeing you in so much pain, and I really wish I could take it away somehow but I don't know how and it's killing me." Apocalypse watched in surprise as tears welled up in Faye's eyes.

"I just wish that I could figure out what's happening. It's so confusing… I think I'm gonna go crazy," Apocalypse sighed, then winced as another shooting pain rushed up her spine and across her stomach where the markings were.

Out of no where, a blinding pillar of ultraviolet light shot down rapidly from the empyrean, encasing the two girls. They didn't even have time to scream.

Something tickled her cheek and Apocalypse grunted softly and slapped herself to relieve the itching. For a minute she just lay there, eyes closed, trying to figure out where she was.

'I smell… grass?' Her eyes popped open and she sat up abruptly, being rewarded with a stabbing pain in her head. The sun was shining brightly in the azure sky, and by its position, Apocalypse could tell it was around midday. She was lying in an irenic valley abundant with oak and weeping willows. Tiny, cheery red and yellow flowers bloomed and ruffled in the crisp spring breeze. It was something out of a painting.

But what shocked her most was seeing a round bluish gray sphere hanging close by the sun. Squinting to see through the bright sunlight, she recognized it as her home planet. 'What the HELL!' Her mind yelled, but her mouth said nothing, it just hung there half-open.

Turning her head to her left, Apocalypse spotted Faye, who was on her back, breathing deeply and evenly, her eyes closed.

"Faye." Apocalypse gently shook her friend. "FaaaaaAAAAye." She shook a little harder. "Faye, FAYE!"

She jerked awake with a rather amusing squeak and gasped. "Caly… what… happened?" Faye blinked confusion plain and simple upon her face.

"Dunno. But what I DO know is, we're not in Kansas anymore, Toto." Apocalypse gave a sarcastic smile, well, as much of a smile as she could possibly give, which wasn't much of a smile after all.

"This isn't funny, Caly. What the hell happened?" Faye snapped.

"Do you seriously believe that I know where we are?" Apocalypse's tone was glossed with exasperation and she knocked hard on Faye's skull. "Use this, you dumb red head."

Faye snorted in a rather un-Faye-like manner, then stood, helping Apocalypse to her feet. After a long debate about where they should go, the two decided to begin walking East.

"And what makes you so sure that East is the right way, Caly?" Faye poked her back.

"Ow. Don't. And it's just a hunch." Apocalypse said absent-mindedly. For a long time, neither shared any words. Apocalypse noted how much her mood had changed upon their arrival. She had forgotten about her last victim. There was something different about this place, something familiar, yet she couldn't place it within the depths of her mind. It was almost as if she knew before, but had forgotten it.


	2. Of Cabbages and Kings

**A/N: If anyone is reading this fic, PLEASE review! I'd really appreciate it! And to anyone who reads this, if I'm a bit innaccurate, sorry, I haven't watched Escaflowne for a loooooooong time. This is my first story, so I'm pretty happy about the way it's turning out, even though no one's reading it.**

Chapter 2: Of Cabbages and Kings

Apocalypse and Faye had wandered aimlessly for hours before Faye noticed the setting sun. "Oh God," She mumbled under her breath before crying out, "Where are we?"

"Shhh!" Apocalypse hushed her. "Not so loud, you don't know what's out there." She continued on, making her way through the trees and scrub scattered along the floor of the backwoods. For the sake of Faye, she had to keep a cool exterior.

"Can we _please_ take a break?" Faye whispered.

"What?" Apocalypse hissed, her eyes struggling to adjust to the darkness of nighttide, causing her to turn and look at Faye out of pure instinct.

"I said, can we ple-" Before she could go on, Faye let out a piercing scream and stumbled backwards.

"What the hell is wrong with you!" Apocalypse cocked a brow before turning and walking right into a broad-shouldered shadow, resulting in a not-so-graceful pile on the ground.

"Who are you and what do you want?" The dark figure barked at them. Apocalypse opened her mouth to speak but nothing except a pitiful squeak escaped. Faye crawled out from underneath her and scrambled away.

"Answer me! Who are you?"

"We're lost! We don't mean any harm, dammit, we're just…" Apocalypse paused. They were lost, on some sort of strange planet or maybe a different dimension. "Lost." She said softly.

There was a long, stretched out silence between the two girls and the figure before it said, "Two women, what trouble could they possibly be?" It chuckled, obviously some sort of inside joke that neither Faye nor Apocalypse understood. "Alright, how about this?" The figure reclined on its haunches, revealing a masculine face. The man had tousled blonde hair and dark brown eyes. "I'll take you home to my wife and she'll clean you two up. You look hungry and tired."

"We are!" They yelled in unison as the man helped them both up.

He stuck out one rough hand. "Jordan," He smiled warmly. Faye shook his hand, but Apocalypse stared at it coldly.

"Not so friendly, are you?" Jordan narrowed his eyes at Apocalypse.

Faye rolled her eyes. "Let's just say she's a very mistrustful person," She sighed. "Can you tell us where we are?"

"You are in Urthas," Jordan said simply.

Apocalypse and Faye both stared at him blankly. "Fanelia…?" He looked at them with an incredulous expression. "Well you must know that you are in Gaea."

"Gaea?" Apocalypse shook her head. "Never heard of it." She exhaled loudly and gripped her head tightly. "My god, I have the world's biggest migraine. Can you just take us to your house and let us eat and sleep and then we'll try to figure this out later on."

"Fine." He said curtly, then turned to Faye with a softened expression. "Come, my lady, my wife is probably making a bit of dinner. I'm almost positive you will adore it."

Apocalypse trailed behind them, grumbling under her breath, "And what am I, chopped liver?"

Jordan's home was much quainter then either of them had anticipated, but by then they had come to expect the unexpected. Jordan had taken them through a small market, illuminated by the warm glow of candlelight and oil lamps, giving them a glimpse at the life of people on Gaea.

"They all seem so…" Faye began, but Apocalypse finished for her.

"Medieval." Her voice was glazed with suspicion.

"Yeah," Faye nodded.

"You aren't from around here, are you?" Jordan inquired absent-mindedly.

"Nooooo," Apocalypse exaggerated the vowel, sarcasm clear in her tone. "What gave you _that_ idea?"

Jordan shot her a bothered glare, but continued. "Well, for one thing, your attire is definitely not from anywhere on Gaea, at least not anywhere that I know of. And you seem quite shocked by my people, judging from the expressions on your faces."

"It's a bit hard to explain how exactly we got here," Faye began. "You see, me and Caly were standing outside together by a dock. It was late at night and we were talking… I forget what about, but suddenly, a pillar of light just shot down and I guess we were trans…ported… here." By the time she had finished her sentence, Faye was blinking rapidly. "Wait, maybe I'm dreaming."

Meanwhile, Apocalypse had stopped listening to their conversation and was lost in her own thoughts. 'Maybe I just have a concussion and I'm hallucinating… or maybe I'm dead and I just went to heaven…. Or maybe I'm in a parallel universe…. How am I supposed to get home?' She sighed, tears threatening at her eyes again but she curled her lower lip and put on a relentless face, masking her misery. 'Anything would be better then my life on Earth. I hate myself. But Faye, she has a better life then me. She deserves to-'

"What!" Jordan snapped, stopping dead in his tracks. "Speak no more and follow me. Quickly!" he grabbed Faye's wrist and pulled her into a small home.

'Of course, grab her and not me.' Apocalypse thought bitterly as she ran in behind them. Jordan slammed the door shut and locked it tightly.

"You came through a pillar of light?" He asked. Faye looked distraught.

"Yes, is this a bad thing?" She asked, cocking a brow.

"No, no… I'll explain to you later. For now," He turned his head. "Celesta!" He called, and a short, thin woman with long mousy brown hair with an elvish face appeared with a baby in her arms.

"Yes, my darling?" She turned to look at Faye and Apocalypse. "I see you've brought guests." She mumbled, skepticism coating her tongue.

"Celesta, I have reason to believe they are from the Mystic Moon." He said softly into her ear. Celesta's eyes widened slowly as she rocked the baby, who had begun to cry in a rotten manner.

"You mean, like the… the girl, Hitomi?" She breathed. Jordan simply nodded and Celesta looked at Faye and Apocalypse in a form of disgust.

Apocalypse cringed away from her harsh glare. She had seen that one too many times. From children at elementary, from the girls at High School, from people off the street… from her father. She had to shake her head in order to rid herself of those images.

Celesta nodded. "Alright then ladies, what are you to be called?"

"I'm Faye, she is Apocalypse, but you can call her Caly for short," Faye gestured to an irritated Apocalypse.

"Only Faye and my mother call me Caly. Since you are neither, my name is Apocalypse until further notice." She turned her head away just so that she wouldn't see the hatred in their eyes.

Celesta had made each of them some thick brew, including herself.

Apocalypse took a careful sip, before spitting it out and using every ounce of her being not to gag. "What is this?" She pushed the bowl out in front of her as Faye gave her a warning look.

"It is cabbage soup, and it is all that I have so perhaps you should learn to appreciate what you are given," Celesta said harshly.

"I know, I know, it's not having what you want, it's wanting what you've got. I've heard it all before." Apocalypse retorted in a teasing tone of voice, shaking it off with a wave of her hand.

Jordan simply stared at her in disbelief. "I cannot understand why you are so cold. Me and my wife take you into our home and this is how you thank us?" he looked pleadingly at Faye. "Why?"

Before Apocalypse could give another quick-witted response, Faye intervened. "Caly isn't feeling herself today."

"Why not?" Celesta asked in a false manner of concern.

"Because…" Faye turned to Apocalypse, who gave her a sharp flicker of her eyes. Faye turned back to Jordan and Celesta. "Because she's sick with the flu and it makes her a bit sensitive."

Apocalypse sighed a breath of relief, but that relief of short-lived as the memories of the man and the hellhole flooded back into her tortured mind and she winced with the dolor. She pushed the soup away even farther.

Faye was given a bed on a worn down mattress and Apocalypse slept on the floor with a down pillow and a few thin sheets. Faye had fallen asleep immediately, leaving Apocalypse marveling at the fact that Faye was so relaxed.

As she was about to drift into a dream-like state, voices snapped Apocalypse back to reality. "How do you know they come from the Mystic Moon?" Celesta's voice oozed into her ears.

"They say they came through a pillar of bright light, as did Hitomi. And their apparel, have you ever seen such clothing anywhere in Gaea?" Jordan hissed.

"This does not mean they are from the Mystic Moon." Celesta said in a hushed tone as the baby began to coo softly.

"They say that they were lost and had never heard of Gaea, let alone Fanelia. They also have a peculiar way of talking. Would you care to explain that, my love?" Jordan tipped his head, trying not to let his ego show.

After a long pause, Celesta sighed. "They could be bluffing," She murmured. "It has been near two months since that girl left Gaea. How is it possible that so soon another two would arrive?"

Jordan pondered that notion for a few minutes. "I'm not sure I am the one to ask this question," he said thoughtfully. "We must address someone of a higher authority."

'Higher authority? What is that supposed to mean?' Apocalypse's brow furrowed. 'Could they be sending the police on us? Wait a minute… they said Faye and me were from the "Mystic Moon," Could they be meaning Earth? Or maybe they're thinking of the Moon. And who's Hitomi? Oh, I wanna go home.' She felt tears stinging at her eyes again as visions of her mother overflowed her mind, and she remembered how they had broken apart, how she didn't even know her mother anymore. 'Who am I kidding? Here, Earth, what's the difference?' With that thought, Apocalypse drifted into a dreamless slumber.

A violent hand was shaking her as Apocalypse groaned and turned onto her stomach. "Uhh, god, whoever's shaking me better stop if they value their asses," She grumbled. The hand, however, was relentless. Apocalypse let out an animalistic growl and jumped onto the one who disturbed her sleep.

She was simply pushed back onto the covers. An ominous man was standing above her. "Miss, you are to come with me." He said firmly.

"Are you the police?" She asked, looking behind the man to find Faye standing beside another man. Both men were dressed in strange clothing, Apocalypse thought, as if they were knights or some sort of monarchial… CLICK authority! That's what Jordan and Celesta were talking about! They must have called upon some royal guards or something to take them away.

The man laughed, but it wasn't a 'frolic-around-in-the-flowers' type laugh, more of an 'I'm-going-to-kill-you-now-and-I'm-really-gonna-enjoy-it' laugh. Apocalypse shrunk back. As she did, she felt anger bubbling up to the surface of her skin and she felt her sanity slipping, and she strove to keep control. She didn't want the park incident to happen again.

"Are you not the two girls from the Mystic Moon?" He inquired grasping Apocalypse's elbow and pulling her up.

"Can someone please just tell me WHAT THE HELL THE MYSTIC MOON IS!" She screamed, frustration getting the best of her.

The man simply chuckled and tugged her roughly to follow him. He was moving so quickly that Apocalypse could barely keep up and she fell in an ungraceful heap behind him. "Get up," He rolled his eyes as if to say, 'what an idiot'.

Faye and Apocalypse were thrown into a carriage with dark windows and black curtains. It seemed as if the two guards were trying to hide them from the rest of the world. For a few minutes the carriage was still when it suddenly jerked to a start, causing both girls to fly off their seats with shouts of surprise.

"Caly, are you okay?" Faye breathed, still shocked.

"Never better," Apocalypse mumbled. "I think they're taking us to come sort of prison."

"But why? What did we do?" Faye sat back upon the lame excuse for a seat with a whimper. "Oh god I just wanna go home. What if we can never go home?"

"I wouldn't miss it too much," Apocalypse sighed. "What kind of life do I have there? I don't even have a future."

Faye's mouth shot open. "What's wrong with you?" She cried, tears brimming in her eyes. "Don't you ever want to see your mother again? Your home? The place you grew up in? Don't you miss any of that?" A steady stream of tears was rolling down Faye's face.

"She's not my mother!" Apocalypse shouted back, feeling as if someone had just stabbed her chest. She had never known her real mother or father of any of her family. She couldn't even remember half of her childhood, and that was what hurt the most.

Faye sniffled. "I'm so sorry, Caly. It's just that… I'm…. I'm…" She gulped. "Creeped out by all of this."

Apocalypse huffed, trying to act as if she was numb to the pain she was feeling. "Same here. But we gotta suck it up. If we live through whatever those two men are gonna do, then maybe we could try and get home. It's worth a try. It's better then crying and feeling sorry for ourselves anyway."

Faye nodded and wiped away a tear. "Right. We'll get through this." She nodded and stared out into space.

Apocalypse turned away and leaned her head on the wall of the carriage. 'Christ. What am I saying? They could do anything to us. Rape, torture. Hell, they could even kill right here, right now.' She trembled as discreetly as she could with this thought.

"What are you saying, Lantos?" The boy upon the throne said in a soft tone. "That _they_ are from the Mystic Moon?" He gestured to Faye and Apocalypse, who were standing in the middle of a large hall packed with people in regal clothing.

"Yes, my lord. Or so claims this man," He pointed to Jordan, who had apparently followed Apocalypse and Faye after they were taken from his home.

"But it… can't be," The boy spat. For a long time everyone was silent. Apocalypse studied the boy. He didn't look much older then herself. And it seemed to be that he was a king or prince of some sort as everyone addressed him a 'lord'. But how could a young boy be a lord?

"This is so weird," Faye tried to speak in an undertone. "Is that guy the king or something?"

"Supposedly," Apocalypse said through clenched teeth.

"What's your name?" The boy asked Jordan, who immediately gave it.

"Jordan," The boy began. "How did you come across those two?"

"Well my lord, I was in the forest gathering kindling for my fireplace when I heard some rustling in the brush a few feet in front of me, and I went to investigate. I questioned who they were and they told me they were lost and that they had never heard of Fanelia or Gaea at all. They also claim that they came through a pillar of light, and did Hitomi not come through a pillar of light as well?" Jordan glanced at Faye and gave a reassuring smile. Faye just scowled at him and mouthed, 'traitor'. Jordan looked away.

The boy was stroking his chin. "Yes, she did…" He said thoughtfully and gazed at the ceiling, then without any notice, his eyes pierced Apocalypse. "What's your name?"

"Apocalypse Reynaldo," She said. His line of vision locked with hers in a battle of wit. Apocalypse lowered her gaze, feeling jaded by everything that was going on.

He turned to Faye. "And you are…?"

"Faye Penburg," Her voice was steady and strong.

The boy looked at Faye the way he looked at Apocalypse, but Faye never dropped her eyes.

"Lord Van," The guard known as Lantos said. 'Van?' Apocalypse thought. 'What a name. Then again, who I am to be saying that about him? My name is Apocalypse'. "What shall we do with them?"

"Lantos, Nathaniel, take both of them to any empty room you see fit and make sure that they don't get away. I'm putting them under your charge." Van spoke with sharpness to his voice. "I will require their presence at dinner tonight."

"Yes, my lord." Both guards said and took Faye and Apocalypse up a winding set of stairs to a room with two large windows and a bunch of blankets and linen. Apocalypse guessed it was something of a laundry room.

"Stay here." Lantos said. "If you need anything, just ask one of the maids." Both guards walked away. Apocalypse smirked. Some guards, they were supposed to watch us, she thought.

Faye sat down upon a pile of white sheets and pillowed her head in her knees. "This is a nightmare." She moaned.

Apocalypse sat down beside her, snaking an arm around Faye's shoulders. "I know, I know. Just remember what I said and don't let anyone give you any bull. It'll be okay."

"How do you know?" Faye asked, her voice full of doubt. Apocalypse opened her mouth, but just then the thought hit her- she didn't know what was going to happen to them.

**REVEIW! PLEASE**


	3. Dining With the Demons

**A/N: Thank you so much, Hollybird and Goddess-Hitomi for reviewing my Fic! Oh yeah, and there _is_ swearing in this fic, just warning anyone out there who doesn't appreciate it.**

**Hollybird: Don't worry, you'll see why Apocalypse does all those things. It'll make sense later on in the story. The reason behind the tattoos will also be revealed but for now I'll keep you guessing.**

**Goddess-Hitomi: Thanks, I guess:)**

Chapter 3: Dining with the Demons

Faye had fallen asleep yet again in a pile of blankets, but Apocalypse was restless. There was a tiny cone-like window to her left and she went to it, staring out to the landscape beyond the castle. All she could see was a motley garden with regal fountains and a bit of a marble wall encasing the garden's perimeter. There were several people chatting and strolling down the many stone pathways of the enclosure.

If she really concentrated, she could catch a few words out of their conversations. Every single person was dressed in Renaissance-type clothing, having an air of sovereignty to him or her. Apocalypse sighed hopelessly, thoroughly disconcerted by her situation.

Leaning on the windowsill and taking in a breath of cool air, she began to lose herself in her thoughts. 'I wonder if Loretta misses me. How _sad_ am I, I call my stepmother by her first name. I can barely bring myself to call her mother. I wonder if anyone knows we're gone. Maybe this is all a dream. Maybe there is no Gaea or Fanelia. I think I'm going crazy.' She perched her chin on the back of her hand. 'This is unbelievable. Someone has to explain what the hell is going on. I've had enough.'

Suddenly a vision of the whole garden erupting in flames flashed before her eyes. Every person standing in the court had become a burning corpse, half-decayed. Everyone was screaming. She gave a tiny shriek, jerking away from the window, gasping for air, feeling sick to her stomach. The markings on her back began to sting again. Tentatively, she looked back out the window. Everything was normal again.

"I can't take this anymore," She moaned.

She tiptoed to the door, pulling on the handle. To her surprise, it opened with ease. 'Hmm,' She smiled to herself. 'And I thought they had actually _locked_ the door.'

Apocalypse closed the door, wincing when it made a painful creak upon closing. She turned, finding herself in a hallway. To her right, more rooms. To her left, a winding staircase. She turned to her left and crept down the stairs.

Just as she reached the third step, sudden voices, male voices, stirred threateningly close to her. She gasped loudly, slapping a hand across her mouth and ran back up the stairs.

"You! Stop!" Her stomach dropped to the floor and Apocalypse, with no choice, halted dead in her tracks without facing her 'attackers'.

"Turn around," Someone demanded. She turned, ultra-slow, to delay her assumed 'punishment', and came face to face with that boy, Van, and another man whom she didn't recognize. The man had short black hair that was combed back and warm brown eyes.

"Why are you wandering the hallways? Didn't Lantos and Nathaniel take you to a room?" Van snapped.

"Y-yes…" Apocalypse stuttered, suddenly no where near as bold as she thought she was going to be.

"Then answer me, why are you just wandering about freely?" He glared at her. She lost her ability to speak and began to ramble.

"Well, uh, you see, um, I was standing in, uh, there," She pointed to the room she had come out of. "And I wanted to um, um…" She grimaced, humiliated. "I forget."

For an excruciatingly long moment, the three of them were silent. Apocalypse unconsciously began to chew her nails furiously. Van snickered before bursting into uncontrolled laughter, the other man joining him in a rotten guffaw.

"That is one of the worst excuses I have ever had the displeasure of hearing," the other man spat at her, and Apocalypse flinched as if his words had injected her with venom.

"Gareth, let's not embarrass her anymore. I think she's endured enough," Van chuckled and Apocalypse's face burned with suppressed tears of mortification. He turned to her. "Where's the other one?"

"Her name is _Faye_," Apocalypse growled, but both of them seemed unfazed. "And she's asleep, in there." She once again pointed to the door.

The two of them opened the door carelessly, and Faye jerked awake. "Huh?" She mumbled, sleep evident on her expression.

"Get up, you are going to have dinner with me," Van ordered.

Apocalypse bit her tongue, itching to put him in his place. She had a desperate longing to just walk over there and strike his pretty little face and bask in his expression of hurt and surprise. Of course, she wouldn't dare. She didn't want to get herself into any trouble.

"O… K…" Faye's words were slurred.

"And you can't go looking like that," Van gestured to Apocalypse's clothes. She glared at him, doing all she could not to strangle him. But it was true, her clothes were spotted with dirt and the ends of her jeans were ripped. "I'll send for a maid. She'll give you some proper clothes. Afterwards, wait here for an escort to bring you into the dining hall. And don't go wandering again." He glanced at Apocalypse with a cryptic smirk. It wasn't cruel or anything like that. But it was taunting her.

"Fuck you," She breathed as he walked out the door, nearly worrying he would hear her. He didn't.

About twenty minutes later, two young women, each about 16 years old, with their hair in tight buns ran into the room. Without saying anything, they grabbed Apocalypse and Faye and took them both to separate rooms with vanities, mirrors and small 'ditches' in the ground that were supposed to be bath tubs.

Apocalypse sat in the miniscule tub, feeling ridiculous. She could barely stand, let alone sit and bathe in the tub. But she had to admit, after two whole days without showering, it felt good to scrub away her tension. The soap was delightful as well. It had a light lavender fragrance, and the water was tinted with the scent of roses.

After she was finished with her bath, she dried off, wrapped a towel around her hair and looked at the selection of clothes set out for her. Apocalypse groaned audibly. Dresses. Frilly dresses, satin dresses, lace dresses, short, long, ranging from eggshell to ebony in colour. Her eyes narrowed into tiny slits. She was never one to put on a dress. It was too elaborate for her taste, but then again, what else was she to put on? Everyone else was dressed the same, and she wanted to blend in as much as she tried to deny it.

She called in the maid after she chose a light plum gown with a long skirt dappled with tiny coral flowers. It extended onto the floor, dragging behind her by a few inches. The maid helped her into a sky blue corset.

"Is this tight enough?" The maid asked, pulling the laces swiftly. Apocalypse clutched at her stomach and chest.

"Am I supposed to be able to breathe in this?" She gasped, suddenly feeling light-headed.

The maid chuckled softly. "It's alright, you will grow into it," She paused, then looked at Apocalypse sadly. "How fortunate you are, my lady. You look so lovely."

Apocalypse blushed, struggling to form words. No one, not even her mother, had ever thought of her as 'lovely'. She hadn't even thought of herself as 'lovely'. "You obviously haven't been out much, have you?" She laughed uncomfortably.

The girl seemed a bit embarrassed. "No, I have never been off of the castle grounds. I was raised in this castle, and have only heard stories about the outside world."

"What? Why?" Apocalypse felt completely outraged by this. Everyone had the right to freedom!

The girl looked at her quizzically, and said, "Maids are not allowed to leave the grounds of the castle they were born in, unless they are being sold."

"Sold!" Apocalypse gasped incredulously. "That must be terrible," She shook her head. "Who would make such a rule?"

"It is not a rule," The girl replied absent-mindedly. "It is tradition." She grabbed a brush off of a table with several cosmetic items scattered on it. "Now stand still, I must brush your hair." She took the towel off of Apocalypse's damp locks and combed out the tangles.

"What's your name?" Apocalypse asked.

"Penelope," She answered. "Penelope Gaffet."

"Do your parents live with you, Penelope?" Apocalypse inquired.

Penelope was silent for a moment. "Both of my parents were sold a long time ago and my sister died when she was very young. Since the war, I haven't heard from my parents. I'm alone." She swallowed loudly. "And please, my lady, do not call me by my name. I do not deserve such a title."

"That's absurd, I'll call you by your name. You're a person, not an inanimate object!" Apocalypse felt awful about Penelope's lifestyle. She had always been able to have the liberty to go wherever she wanted whenever she wanted, with some restrictions of course. Apocalypse suddenly felt stupid. All this time she had pitied herself and her life when… she could have had this life instead.

"Thank you, my lady," Penelope said softly.

"And for god's sake, my name is Apocalypse, not 'my lady'. It's not like I'm royalty." Apocalypse shook her head. This girl needed to feel what it was like to live. She seemed completely institutionalized into this way of life.

"Who's your king?" Apocalypse asked.

"Lord Van Fanel," Penelope spoke with an admirable loyalty in her voice. "He is a wonderful person. Everyone in the royal court adores him. He's so wise, too."

Apocalypse snorted in an uncivil manner. "Of course, and how old is he, like, sixteen? He doesn't seem that great. In fact, he seems to hate me. He enjoys embarresing me anyways."

Penelope laughed as she placed the brush onto the table and ran her fingers through Apocalypse's hair, checking for knots. "He is fifteen. It is plainly evident that you do not know him. Lord Van does not embaress you, he was probably teasing you. Once you get to know him, you'll get to love him. He fought in the great war against Zaibach and single-handedly defeated the enemy, or so I'm told."

Apocalypse rolled her eyes. "That's what you've been _told_. Have you actually tried to get to know him?"

"Of course not!" Penelope looked at her as if to say, 'how could you _not_ know this?' "Maids are not to mingle with people of noble blood."

"Noble blood, my ass." She hissed.

"It is time for you to go to dinner," Penelope had a huge grin on her baby-like face. "You are so lucky! You will be dining with the king of Fanelia! How I envy you!" Apocalypse grinned sheepishly.

"Even though he's a king, he's still human," Apocalypse shrugged. "I'm just having dinner with another boy. No big deal."

"Draconian," Penelope corrected.

Apocalypse wrinkled her nose. "What?"

"Lord Van is Draconian, not human." Penelope said, but before Apocalypse could ask any more questions, Penelope took her hand and began to drag her down the stairs, gushing on about Van as if he was some sort of divine being.

The dining hall, which had a 20-foot ceiling lined with gold paneling, was filled with people, most of who looked very momentous. They were all dressed in elaborate attirement. Penelope couldn't stay because maids were only allowed to eat in the kitchens. Apocalypse begged her to stay, feeling that it was wrong for a person to be banned from a certain room because that person was a maid. She was ready to fight for her, but Penelope told her that it was alright, that she was used to this and that she didn't mind. She called it 'the rules'. Apocalypse called it 'discrimination'.

Apocalypse took a seat beside an unfamiliar man and Faye, who was garbed in a flowing slate blue gown and a dim grey corset. Her long red hair stood out even more against the gown, and she looked simply amazing. Except for the fact that her face was twisted into a mournful grin.

"Hey," Apocalypse said softly, Faye barely hearing her over the din of the room. "Are you okay?"

Faye turned her head slowly to face her friend. "I'm so tired of pretending everything is fine. It's not. I'm scared and homesick and I just wanna go to sleep in my own bed and see my friends again."

Those last few words cut into Apocalypse like a thousand daggers. "But, Faye… I'm your friend, too." She murmured. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught the man beside her staring discreetly at them.

"I… I know, but I miss the rest of my friends, and my family. The sooner we can go home, the better." Faye smoothed the folds of her dress slowly. Apocalypse nodded, but in the reality, she didn't want to leave anymore. This world was so intriguing, with it's antiquated traits. It was almost as if it had been frozen in time.

"Silence! The king of Fanelia speaks!" A guard yelled and everyone immediately quieted. Apocalypse pursed her lips. 'That was _way_ over the top.' She thought, forcing herself not to snicker.

Van stood up from his seat at the head of the table. He was dressed in a lengthy midnight blue cloak and something that looked like a suit of armor… or maybe not?

"People of the court, I had told you earlier that two girls from the Mystic Moon had come to Fanelia," he paused. "Since a lot of you were skeptical, can Faye and Apocalypse please rise?"

"Why does it feel like we're on trial?" Apocalypse mumbled to Faye, who didn't even crack a smile, as they stood. Eyes scanned them, an eerie sensation. Apocalypse shifted in her place.

"Can you prove to us that they are indeed from the Mystic Moon, my lord?" Someone said, but Apocalypse just stared at the wall, trying to forget that nearly fifty pairs of eyes were all set on her.

"Don't you believe your king?" Van asked, sounding a bit ticked off.

"Pardon me, my lord," The person apologized.

"You may sit," Van gestured to Faye and Apocalypse.

"You aren't going to question us or anything?" Apocalypse cocked a brow.

"Why? I received all the information I need." Van folded his arms. She shrugged and sat down. Dinner progressed with a dull, uneventful drag.

In the middle of the second course, Apocalypse started feeling incredibly light-headed. 'Probably from the corset,' She thought and leaned her head on her hand. The feeling remained, so she closed her eyes, locking out all other sounds.

With no warning, another nightmarish vision showed itself to her. All Apocalypse could see was a dark hallway, and with no reason, she began running down the corridor. Suddenly a young girl with empty eye sockets and deathly pale skin was in front of her. "You have no choice but to follow your path." She whispered in a deep, manly voice.

Apocalypse's eyes shot open and a scream was emitted. She blinked. The scream was not her own.

"Her eyes!" A woman in front of her shrieked. "Before she blinked, they were pitch black! She had no pupils! She's a demon!" The woman screamed.

"I saw it too!" A man yelled, standing, along with many other people who were now backing away. "She's possessed! A fiend from the Mystic Moon!"

"Kill them before they kill us!" Apocalypse's mouth shot open as she was pulled from her seat by a surprisingly strong force.

**RR!**


	4. More Questions Arise

**A/N: Well so far two people have reviewed my story… I didn't know it sucked THAT much! Ah well, I'm just gonna keep writing cuz it's what I loooove to do. And I'm sorry if there are more typos then usual in this chapter... I have a fever and I don't really know what I'm writing.**

_Last chapter:In the middle of the second course, Apocalypse started feeling incredibly light-headed. 'Probably from the corset,' She thought and leaned her head on her hand. The feeling remained, so she closed her eyes, locking out all other sounds._

_With no warning, another nightmarish vision showed itself to her. All Apocalypse could see was a dark hallway, and with no reason, she began running down the corridor. Suddenly a young girl with empty eye sockets and deathly pale skin was in front of her. "You have no choice but to follow your path." She whispered in a deep, manly voice._

_Apocalypse's eyes shot open and a scream was emitted. She blinked. The scream was not her own._

_"Her eyes!" A woman in front of her shrieked. "Before she blinked, they were pitch black! She had no pupils! She's a demon!" The woman screamed._

_"I saw it too!" A man yelled, standing, along with many other people who were now backing away. "She's possessed! A fiend from the Mystic Moon!"_

_"Kill them before they kill us!" Apocalypse's mouth shot open as she was pulled from her seat by a surprisingly strong force._

Chapter 4: More Questions Arise 

Her arm had been grabbed harshly by Van, whose eyes were now glowing with ire. "What are you?" he demanded. Everyone within the room had now gathered in a corner near the back of the chamber, with the exception of Apocalypse, Faye, Van, and the man that was seated beside her.

Apocalypse gaped at him, dismayed. "I… I… I…" She sputtered, words not forming in her mouth.

"I asked you a question!" He shouted at her, grasping her shoulders and shaking her entire form.

Apocalypse put herself back together. "I'm human! I swear I don't know what happened!" She cried desperately, terror stricken. Her grey eyes widened considerably.

Van studied her for a good period of time, searching her face for an answer. He couldn't let a monster run rampant in his kingdom. He squinted, askant of her. She didn't seem too mischievous, though she did need to learn how to hold her tongue. He slowly released her.

Apocalypse stood there, still shaken by the incident. Van gave her one last suspicious glance before turning to his horrified Court, specifically looking at the woman who had accused Apocalypse of being a demon. "Are you sure you weren't hallucinating?"

The woman, still shaking, shook her head rapidly. "No, no, I saw it. Her eyes were completely black before she blinked. She's a… a… an apostate angel! She must be! What other explanation is there?"

Van turned back to a quivering Apocalypse. "I honestly don't know what to think… for now." He looked behind Apocalypse and Faye to the man who was still standing behind them. "Allen," He said firmly. Apocalypse turned, nearly walking into the man who was now referred to as 'Allen'. "Since my own men couldn't seem to watch over the two girls, I'll put them under your watch until I decide just what to do with them. I hope that's not too much trouble for a knight?" Van exaggerated the last word significantly.

"Of course not, your highness," Allen said with a slight bow, then looked warmly at Faye. Apocalypse scowled to herself. 'Of course. Everyone looooves Faye, and no one cares to even look at me.' Her mind screamed at her to say something, but she kept her mouth firmly shut.

"Dinner is cancelled for tonight, you may return to your quarters." Van said to the people of his court, then turned to Allen, Faye, and Apocalypse. "However, I need to have a word with the three of you. Follow me." He waved his hand as a sign to ensue.

Two guards immediately closed in behind them without even having to be told. Apocalypse, mostly recovered from her little event, rolled her eyes and groaned audibly. Allen glanced at her.

"Something wrong, my lady?" he spoke smoothly.

Apocalypse clicked her tongue, looked to the side, and grumbled, "I have a name, you know."

"Sorry," He tried to catch her eyes but she resisted. "I seem to have forgotten your name." He said nonchalantly.

"Apocalypse," Her head snapped to look at him, a look of sullen annoyance plastered upon her features. She looked over his entire form with an unexpectedly heightened interest. He had a fine silhouette, and long, cornsilk blonde locks that settled a few inches below his waist. His face was slim and chiseled. Apocalypse couldn't deny that he was the handsomest man she had ever seen.

A sudden frown made its way back onto her expression. 'What are you doing?' Her mind barked. 'Don't lose yourself in this imbecilic knight. He's just another pretty face.'

"Apocalypse," He repeatedher name. She found herself marveling on how good it sounded coming out of his mouth. "It's such a beautiful name." He smiled and Apocalypse nearly broke but she just folded her arms and mumbled, "Whatever."

Van had taken them into a room similar to the dining hall, except this room was scarlet with many rugs and a colossal fireplace burning on the west wall. Windows that went from ceiling to floor were covered with velvet curtains matching the wall paneling. Paintings of people hung almost everywhere and there were many luxurious couches and chairs scattered across the chamber. Along with that, bookcases, sculptures and ornate decorations lined the perimeter.

Faye and Apocalypse had taken a seat upon a couch that faced two lounge chairs that were occupied by Van and Allen. Van was thoughtfully tapping the arm of his chair while Allen's eyes were flicking back and forth from Faye to Apocalypse.

Apocalypse shifted uncomfortably in her place, self-conscious, a feeling not so new to her. Faye sat with good posture, eyes cast down. Her face may as well have been of stone.

"So, tell me, _Apocalypse_," Van said her name in a strange way, as if he was trying to get used to it. "Do you know where you are?"

"No, butit should be obviousby now that I don't know where I am!" She glared at him, trying to break his stupidly enormous ego or at least make him mad. No such response.

"Hasn't anyone told you that you're in Gaea?" He cocked a brow and leaned on his hand.

"Well, yeah, but I don't know how I got here…" She struggled to find a reason to be angry, but there really weren't any.

"A pillar of light," Van said thoughtfully. "No one knows exactly how they work, but they often appear at random times and take you to various places. Usually, these places are significant to the person."

Apocalypse narrowed her stony eyes. "What?" She turned to Faye. "Did you catch that?" Faye just shook her head.

"You're obviously here for a reason. But the question is, why?" Van locked onto Apocalypse's line of vision. This time Apocalypse didn't drop her eyes like she had done before. She wasn't gonna let this haughty boy win.

Faye sighed desperately. "I don't care why I'm here. I just wanna go home." She finally looked up. "Can you take us home?"

"Unfortunately, like lord Van had mentioned before, no one knows how pillars of light work. The only way back to the Mystic Moon is by a pillar of light and we do not know how to conjure one." He sensed Faye's dysphoria. "But I swear on my life that while you are here, I will make it my personal duty to make sure you stay unharmed."

As Apocalypse watched, Faye lowered her gaze and blushed furiously. She just rolled her eyes, as always.

"Tell me the truth," Van sat foreword in his chair. "Are you or are you not evil?"

Apocalypse cackled, adding to her demonic attitude. "Stupid question. If I were evil, I wouldn't tell you, would I? And besides, give me one good reason that I should be."

Van and Allen looked at eachother with lost expressions. "Okay…" Van drawled. "Until I'm convinced you're not baneful, you're not allowed to leave the grounds of this castle." He turned to Allen. "Would it bother you to stay here for the time being?"

Allen shook his head. "No, it wouldn't. Would it be troublesome if Celena stayed as well? I know that Dilandau still worries you, but I assure you, Van, that Celena has completely reverted to herself."

Van contemplated that for a moment before sighing, "Alright."

Apocalypse cut into their conversation. "Celena?"

"My younger sister. She has had a rough ride through life." Allen and Van exchanged one last glance before Allen stood, bowed and said, "Good day, my lord," And walked out of the room.

There was a silence for a few minutes before Faye said, "It seems like the two of you know eachother."

Van nodded. "Yes, we do. But he's still obligated to treat me as a king, no matter what the status of our friendship is."

Apocalypse snickered. "Big words for such a little boy."

She expected a burning stare but Van simply shrugged and stood. "You're allowed everywhere except beyond the palace gates. I'll have your maids prepare your sleeping quarters." He began to exit the room.

"So what, we're prisoners now?" Apocalypse huffed.

Van turned to look at her. "Sorta," Before she could retort, he quickly made his escape.

Apocalypse snorted and stood up, walking over to a bookcase and looking at a few of scriptures and books. 'Wow… there's books here about almost everything.' She suddenly felt drawn to a certain book at the top of the shelf. Apocalypse stood on the tips of her feet to reach the book and snatched it off of the thin plank.

"Book of Prophets," She read aloud. The book looked time worn and arid. She brushed some of the flecks of dust off of the cover and opened it.

"What are you doing?" Faye called.

"Reading," Apocalypse murmured, knowing Faye couldn't hear her but it didn't matter. She kept flipping through the pages, yellow and cracking, until she came to chapter labeled, "Cherub of Demise", and began to speed read her way through the chapter until she came to a paragraph:

_"The day will come when a Divine Being will be born with the ability to bring on the destruction of Gaea. Without guidance, It will slay unconsciously. Mortals cannot cease It; Gods will not take It. Only time will let It choose Its own destiny. On the wrong path, It will wreak its cataclysm upon the megacosm. On the right path, It will bring answers to questions never asked. Before the battle between all good and all evil, the receivers will be reborn and the rest will be decided by It._

_"It will be sepherded by many other Divine Beings which will take several forms and will come to it in visions. It will have the capability to read into the aftertime but it will not be able to control itself. Only the Elixir of Anima will aid It to self-control." _

Apocalypse's mouth dropped like a dead fly. Why did this sound familiar? "Faye… come here…"

"What?" She asked, walking over to Apocalypse and looking over her shoulder.

Apocalypse pointed to the paragraph. "Read this," Her words shook.

As Faye followed the words, a frown grew on her face. "But what does it mean?"

"I don't know, but I have a horrible feeling it has something to do with me," She turned to face Faye. "Remember all those people I killed? I did it 'unconsciously.'"

Faye's brow furrowed in concern. "Maybe we should tell, what's his name, Van, about this."

Apocalypse chewed her lip. God, she didn't want to face him, "I guess you're right."

Both girls rushed into the hallway and promptly crashed into one of the guards. After regaining her composure, Faye quickly asked, "Where's your king?"

"Why do you need Lord Van?" The bulky man said in an alto voice.

"It's strictly personal business," Apocalypse quickly answered.

"Fine," he said and escorted them to Van's room, which was on the very top floor of the castle. Faye knocked softly. Nothing. She knocked a little harder. Still nothing.

"Lord Van," She said while knocking. Nothing. "Lord Van!" She yelled, knocking frantically.

The door flew open and they came face to face with a very irked Van. "What is it?" He growled.

"Look at-" before Apocalypse could finish her sentence, Allen came rushing down the hall crying, "Celena, she's gone! She's missing!"

**A/N: OMG, I'm so sorry this chapter sucked. I'm sick with the flu and I'm really tired right now, forgive me. If anyone's reading this, tell me if the romantic part of the story should center around Allen, Van, or Dilandau. Did that make sense? If it did, then tell me please. RR. Again, sorry it sucked and that the chapter was so rushed and short. It'll be better, I promise.**


	5. Sorry!

**Apology from author:** I know that it's been a while since I've updated this story, I truly apologize. But I am going through an immensely difficult time in my life right now. My parents are divorcing, I'm having a tough time with my love life and I've been diagnosed with Lupus. SO I'm afraid this story will have to be discontinued until further notice. Again, I really am sorry but I have no time now in my life to try and write two stories at once. I'll try to update ASAP, but I make no promises.


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